And all that could have been
by Subject87
Summary: Freddie and Carly meet up after he moved to Hollywood for work and every year he asks "Is it too late for you to love me" and wonders what could have been. Title inspired by NIN, I don't own iCarly, NIN, or Victorious. Carly/OC and Freddie/Tori are the main couples.


_August 22nd,2015_

The sun was going down and in the twilight of the day everything seemed so... Peaceful. He looked up as he heard foot steps and smiled softly "Hey." he whispered softly.

"Hey you." She said happily, "How're you doing?"

He turned to look at her and felt his breath stop, she still looked as beautiful as she always did. "I'm fine Carls."

Carly smiled softly, the setting sun reflecting off face and making it glow softly. "How's Hollywood?" She asked him curiously.

He shrugged "It's... Work." he said softly, "Doing special effects for Hollywood is a lot harder than it was for iCarly."

"I would hope so." She said, grinning at him, "I'm proud of you though. She paused before smiling softly, "I'm teaching elementary school now." she said

He shrugged, looking at his watch, "Is it too late for you to love me?' He asked suddenly.

She blinks but doesn't answer, instead she kisses his cheek and walks away "Until next time."

He watches her walk away and he bites back the urge to ask her to come with him, instead he turned and walked away, regret and disappointment chilling him to the bone.

_July 22nd, 2020_

Freddie smiled as Carly walked up to him, they met once again in the same spot. "you're looking good." she observed.

He smiled softly, "Hollywood is... It's insane, it's adapt or get out."

"That bad huh?" She asked, sympathetically.

"Well... Maybe not all that bad." he said softly, smiling at the thought of a brunette he'd met in Hollywood.

"Meet a girl?" She asked and he was surprised to hear a twinge of jealousy in his voice.

"Of course not... You know I.." He didn't bother finishing that sentence, "Meet a guy?" He asked.

"Maybe.." She said, biting her lip, "His name is Michael." she said. "I met him at the school I work at."

"I met a girl!" he blurted,, "Well.. Reacquainted with one, Tori Vega.."

She looked at him, amusement flashing through her eyes "As in Tori Vega who was dating my boyfriend unknowingly?"

"Freddie and Tori huh?" She asked, "Well I'm happy for you, maybe I'll come up and get reacquainted."

He looked down at his watch, it was once again time for him to back to Hollywood "I'd like that.." He said softly before grinning "Is it too late for you to love me?" He asked again, as he did every year.

Once again she didn't answer, instead she kissed his cheek and walked off, leaving him to his own thoughts. "I'm proud of you."

_September 8th, 2025_

Fall was approaching, Freddie had meant to get back to Seattle earlier than this but his work, among other things, had kept him busy. Today however was a special event and he was determined to make it. They met at the Groovy smoothy this time, or what was left of it. T-Bo had closed the shop down when he'd won the lottery and no one had tried to reopen it since.

Carly was already there, waiting for him, when he arrived. "No Sam?" he asked.

"She couldn't make it... You know how it is."

He sighed, he'd left Tori in L.A while he came up to visit Carly and Sam and she couldn't even be bothered to show up. "She and Gibby are out doing their thing."

"Her and Gibby?" He asked.

She nodded, her hand hovering around her stomach, "Freddie.." She said softly.

"What's wrong?"

She looked down for a moment "I um... I found out yesterday, I'm pregnant... I'm going to be a mother."

He looked away, he couldn't seem to hear anything other than his heart snapping into a million pieces "So I guess.."

She smiled softly, "Michael asked me to Marry him." she began, and he felt his heart stop beating, "And I said yes." She kissed his cheek and turned to leave

He didn't have the heart to ask if it was too late for her to love him as she left, he knew it was.

_December 12th, 2025_

Freddie straightened his tux and sighed, he'd been invited to the wedding and there was no way he would miss this: Carly Shay finally settling down and becoming Carly Robertson. He wiped his eyes clean, he couldn't allow Tori to see him like this, she was his world, but Carly would always have a piece of his heart.

He sat in the second row with his wife, whom he had married just last month, taking her hand as the happy couple said I do and he knew that she could never love him, no matter how much he desired it. He smiled up at her as she looked over the crowd. She looked at him and smiled happily, and he knew everything would be okay because she was happy.

_June 3rd,2031_

A Day at the beach was exactly what the Benson and Robertson family needed to get away from the stress of their every day lives. Freddie looked over at Carly and smiled. Her son, David, and his daughter Michelle were playing in the sand with Tori and Michael so Carly and Freddie could catch up.

"Thanks for coming down here." He said, "I figured you could use some sun." He teased.

She looked over at him and smiled, that smile could still make his heart stop and he hated it sometimes. "Yeah, I guess... Seattle is kind of dreary sometimes."

He laughed, "Dreary? You really do sound like a school teacher." He said.

He lay back and looked at her, "Is it too late for you to love me?" He asked, he made it sound like he was joking but there was a tint of desperation, almost longing in his words.

She paused for a moment and kissed his cheek, he half expected her to smile and say nothing but this time she spoke "I think it is Freddie."

Those words hurt far more than they should and he forgot to breath. He stood up and smiled, kissing her cheek, "I'm going to go check on Tori._'_

_February 28__th__, 2036 _

Freddie waited just outside of the airport and grinned as Carly and her husband walked out of the airport, "Where are the kids?" He asked.

"We left them with Spencer." Micheal explained, his short blonde hair seemed even lighter in the Californian sun, his light blue eyes locked with Freddie's and they shook hands, "It's good to see you Freddie."

He smiled, though the smile felt false to him, "Always a pleasure to see you both, I missed you guys."

"David and John miss you guys too, they're always asking to see Michelle and Jake."

Freddie laughed, "You ought to bring them up." He said, "I miss them too!"

The drive to Freddie's house was short and quiet, Freddie didn't trust himself not to say something stupid in front of Michael.

"So, how's work?" He finally asked as they pulled into the drive way.

"Oh it's great!" Carly said excited, "I love working with little kids, they're just so... Precious."

He smiled softly as he led them into the house, "I'm glad you're happy."

Michael headed out back, where Tori and the kids were, and Carly turned to Freddie.

He opened his mouth to ask her his usual, playful question, but he didn't feel it this time... He didn't have the heart for it, "I'm glad you're happy." he repeated.

She almost looked disappointed, but nodded, "Thank you." she said, kissing his cheek.

His ever present smile turned bitter, as he kissed her cheek in return, "Let's go see Tori and the kids." he suggested.

She nodded and followed him out back.

_April 29th, 2041_

The sky was bright, the sun shining, not a cloud in the sky, an oddity in Seattle and the complete opposite of what was currently going through Freddie Benson's head. The headstone in front of him was made out of rock, nothing fancy... It's what she would of wanted. He touched the rock in front of him, tracing the letters, trying to make sense of what had happened.

Loving Mother, Wife, friend

Carly Robertson

July 24th, 1994- April 27th, 2041

Rest in Peace

He wanted to kill the drunk driver that had taken her, his beloved Carly, then he realized... She

wasn't his, and she never would be. "Life is so fragile." he muttered, his fingers tracing her name again.

He nicked his finger on a jagged piece of rock and winced. A drop of blood fell, sounding like a roaring wave over the silence of the graveyard. She would always have a piece of his heart, and now a drop of blood would always be here, on the flowers in front of her grave"I miss you." he whispered softly, "And I wonder what could have been... But I need to say good bye Carly... I hope to see you again one day."

He stood up and smiled at Tori, who was waiting for him, "Let's go home." he said as he kissed his wife and hugged his children, this was his world and he couldn't be happier.

**Note: **This came from a base idea idea I had and discussed with my beta reader, whom I owe many thanks to rereading this three or four times, so I hope you like it.

I plan to do a sequel called "And All There Was" detailing Freddie and Tori's relationship. Hope you enjoy this oneshot!


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